The UK remains opposed to a single data protection regime across member states and is joined in its resistance by Denmark, Slovenia, Belgium, Hungary and Sweden. The countries plan to back a new data protection directive, while Bulgaria, Germany, Spain, the Netherlands, Luxembourg, France, Italy, Greece and Ireland have indicated support for a new regulation instead. In January the Commission outlined plans to bring the EU’s data protection framework up-to-date with the digital age. Its proposed General Data Protection Regulation would replace the existing regime. Currently EU member states have slightly different data protection laws from one another, a consequence of the way those countries have implemented the 1995 Data Protection Directive into national laws. While the wording of EU Directives does not have to be precisely copied into national laws, EU Regulations do contain a binding set of rules that, if approved, apply across the entire trading bloc. UK Justice Minister Helen Grant said, “I believe that the proposed EU data protection legislation is too prescriptive, which is why I am pushing for legislation that is less burdensome-providing protection without stifling growth and innovation.”
